Tips to raise your score on app games

By René A. Guzman :
July 12, 2013
: Updated: July 15, 2013 11:19am

Match candies with “Candy Crush Saga.” This app game features 380 levels. That's a lot of candy.

“Candy Crush Saga,” “Despicable Me: Minion Rush” and “Minecraft - Pocket Edition” are three of the hottest, most addictive app games for your touchscreen. They're even more fun when you take them to that veritable next level. Here are some tips to raise your score and keep your fingers tapping.

'Candy Crush Saga'

This sweet spin on the “Bejeweled” puzzle game serves up more than 380 levels of candy-matching fun, with special candies, boosters and charms you're sure to crave as the levels get harder.

Combine four or five candies. You need only match three candies of the same color to crush them, but you get more points and special candies when you match four or five.

Matching four candies in a row or column creates a Striped Candy, which when matched clears an entire row or column. Matching five candies in a row makes a Color Bomb, which when combined with any color will clear all candies of that color. You can combine the special candies for even more effects.

Play from the bottom up. The tip site Candy Crush Saga All Help (candycrushsagaall help.blogspot.com) recommends playing the lowest move when possible. That way you're better positioned for helpful falls or cascades for more possible matches.

Think before you crush. If a level isn't timed, Candy Crush Saga All Help suggests you take time to think about each move. Your goal here is to finish the level, not rack up points or beat the clock. You can maximize scores later.

Wait for an extra life. You begin a Candy Crush Saga game with five lives. If you fail a level, you lose a life. But after 30 minutes, you get that life back for free. Pace yourself and you should avoid dropping real-world cash for extra lives.

'Despicable Me: Minion Rush'

As one of Gru's yellow little minions from the “Despicable Me” films, you race for bananas while evading obstacles and thumping fellow minions off the screen in this animated take on the “Temple Run” game.

Follow the bananas. They not only feed your fast-footed minion — they also tend to show the clearest path to run. Just mind your jumps and rolls as you do.

Use power-ups. The Fluffy Unicorn, Gru's Rocket and other power-ups can raise your banana collection and score. Lucky for you they're highlighted throughout the game. Snag more bananas and you can enhance those power-ups for even more minion might.

Look for free tokens. Game tokens get you goodies, but they can add up when it comes to in-game purchases. You can earn free tokens by watching in-game ads. You also can get tokens by meeting certain goals, such as collecting 750 bananas in the same run.

Move in midair. You just jumped off a ledge, only to find your landing spot is actually to your side. No problem. You can move to the side while in the air.

'Minecraft — Pocket Edition'

In this portable version of the hit game, you build your own blocky world in an environment that encourages creativity and survival, preferably with a pixelated pickax.

Go free first. “Minecraft” looks simple and simplistic, but it's tough to grasp at first. That's why you should try before you buy. The free “Minecraft — Pocket Edition Lite” for iOS and “Minecraft — Pocket Ed. Demo” for Android won't save your boxy world between sessions, but they can help you get used to the game mechanics before you drop $6.99 for the full version.

Get creative, then survive. In Creative mode, you get unlimited resources and flying (whee!), while in Survival mode, you must scour for resources and ward off dangerous mobs. Creative is ideal for beginners. And if you have trouble playing in first-person view, switch to third-person in the game options.

In Survival mode, you need building materials to make objects. For wood, you punch a tree by holding your finger over a tree trunk, then pick up the resultant little block.

Now click the three dots in the inventory bar and make a crafting table. With the wood you got, make wooden planks and then set up that crafting table. Set the table down on the screen and tap it to make other objects, such as the ever-handy pickax.

Coal also helps. For coal, find dark gray blocks with black spots on them. Hold your finger over those and pick up the little blocks. Coal helps you make torches, which you'll need when it gets dark.

Make a shelter. In Survival mode, Rodriguez recommends making a shelter ASAP to stay safe from zombies and other nighttime threats. Dig into mountains, set up torches and live on to craft another day.